One Missing Ingredient From Branding & Marketing Campaigns

The goal of any branding and marketing campaign is capture the attention of the consumer in a way that motivates them to act or think. For chefs, the goal of every dish is create an experience in every bite of food. Both the marketer and the chef follow researched, tested, and proven recipes to attain success of their goals. The key to this is to not forget any ingredient in the recipe. For the marketer, there is one missing ingredient from most branding and marketing campaigns….tangible, branded merchandise.

The successful marketer combines powerful, meaningful and inspirational messages and campaigns that are designed for their targeted audiences. They are centered on products or services and, if created correctly, they are also centered on adding value to the consumers’ life. Most marketing is done online, in print, on radio and television. But the missing ingredient in today’s modern marketing is the brand-to-consumer connection that happens in person.

Brands of all sizes are spending time and resources on developing strategies and campaigns to either strengthen or start the brand-to-consumer connection. By creating a branded merchandise, what your brand is doing is showing your consumers that you WANT to connect with them. These products, promotional products, can be designed in an innovative manner in order to solve problems, add value, introduce products and services as well as develop an immediate relationship with your targeted audience.

The research is in! Here are some staggering statistics that focus on the behavior of consumers when it comes to branded merchandise and promotional products:

4% reported either currently owning or possessing a promotional product received in the last 24 months

83% of respondents like receiving a promotional product with an advertising message

69% generally keep branded merchandise and promotional products if they have a use for it

89% surveyed could recall the name of the advertiser on a promotional product they received in the past 24 months

36% of people surveyed claim they would do business with the brand giving away useful promotional products as a means of advertising.

When branded merchandise and promotional products are used to advertise, there is one major factor to consider, the brand is NOT interrupting the consumer. People love free stuff. Consumers today are smarter than ever and they hate being interrupted by advertising. Think about it, when was the last time you DIDN”T skip a YouTube advertisement when given the option? The messaging and advertising on these products cannot be turned off like a radio or television ad. Rather consumers wait in line for branded “SWAG” and will listen to or sign up to receive marketing messages from your brand.

The missing ingredient in most branding and marketing campaigns, you might be thinking is branded merchandise or promotional products; however it is the strategy to develop personal relationships with your consumers. Face-to-Face conversations cannot be overlooked. Promotional products simply instigate these relationships by offering the consumer advertising they want and are not forced into.